A true believer avoids whatever is vain and frivolous (Traits of Believers who attain true success)

This is our third post on the series of Posts: "Traits of believers who attain Success."  In one of our previous posts, we mentioned the first trait, that is humbleness in prayers, of the believers who attain success. It is the humbleness and humility in prayers that brings a beleiver closer to Allah and the connection between the Master and the servant by and by becomes so strong and solidified that the mind of the servant gradually clears of the vain and frivolous thoughts. That is, he becomes a worshipper of God and bows down before Him in submission.  His sincerity and seriousness increase to the extent that wasting time in useless pursuits appears fatal to him.

And this is the trait of the beleiver mentioned in the third verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ (The Believers) being discussed today in this post:

وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَنِ اللَّغۡوِ مُعۡرِضُوۡنَۙ‏ 

(23:3) who avoid whatever is vain and frivolous;

Literally, laghv is anything nonsensical, meaningless and vain, which is in no way conducive to achieving one's goal and purpose in life. The Believers pay no heed to such useless things and they show no inclination or interest in them. If by chance they see such things being indulged in, they keep away and avoid them scrupulously, or treat them with utmost indifference. This attitude has been described in Al-Furqan (XXV): 72, thus: " ... if they have to pass by what is vain, they pass by like dignified people."

This is indeed one of the outstanding characteristics of the Believer. He is a person who feels the burden of responsibility at all times; he regards the world as a place of test, and life as the limited time allowed for the test. This feeling makes him behave seriously and responsibly throughout life just like the student who is taking an examination paper with his whole mind and body and soul absorbed in it. Just as the student knows and feels that each moment of the limited time at his disposal is important and decisive for his future life, and is not inclined to waste it, so the Believer also spends each moment of his life on works which are useful and productive in their ultimate results. So much so that even in matters of recreation and sport, he makes a choice of only those things which prepare him for higher ends in life and do not result in mere wastage of time. For him time is not something to be killed but used profitably and productively.

Besides this, the Believer is a person who possesses a right-thinking mind, pure nature and fine taste: he has no inclination to indecent things: he can talk useful and healthy things but cannot indulge in idle talk: he has a fine taste of humor, but is not given to jesting, joking, ridicule, etc. nor can he endure dirty jokes and fun. For him a society in which the ears are never immune from abusive language, back-biting, slander, lying, dirty songs and indecent talk is a source of torture and agony. A characteristic of the promised Paradise is: "therein you will not hear anything vain or useless."  

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And those who turn away from Al-Laghw.) refers to falsehood, which includes Shirk and sin, and any words or deeds that are of no benefit. 

As Allah says: (وَإِذَا مَرُّواْ بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّواْ كِراماً And if they pass by Al-Laghw, they pass by it with dignity) [25:72]. Qatadah said: "By Allah, there came to them from Allah that which kept them away from that (evil).'

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The word is: اللَّغْو. It is used for every act that is nonsensical, silly and purposeless. The implication is that believers abstain from things that have no objective and which have no consequence in the life of a person, not to speak of big sins. This, in a passing way, also refers to those frivolous acts which emanated from the disbelievers against Islam and the Muslims. Thus, at another instance it is said that when believers hear something nonsensical, they ignore it and tell their addresses that for their own selves are their deeds and for them their deeds. In other words, they neither indulge in ridiculous things nor engage with those who indulge in them.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This includes all frivolity, in words, actions, or concerns. A believer’s heart has its own preoccupations which steer it away from frivolity. It is full with the remembrance of God and with reflection on His majesty and His signs that we see everywhere in the universe and within ourselves. Indeed, every scene in the universe fills our minds with wonder and gives a clear message to our hearts. Moreover, the duties required by faith keep a believer preoccupied with maintaining the purity of his or her heart, soul and conscience. Believers’ duties include those of behaviour which aim at maintaining the very high standards required by faith. Moreover, the task of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong aims at preventing any deviation in the life of the Muslim community.

This does not preclude relaxation and seeking comfort when it is needed. But this is totally different from indulging in frivolous and idle pursuits.

In view of the above quoted verse, my brothers and sisters in Islam, let us review our daily routine and see for ourselves how much time we waste away in things that are non-essential or are of least benefit to us. Take for example time spent on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all other forms of social media and quantify the benefit vs wastage of time. And in many cases, we will find that we waste time by surfing through social media and gain no substantial benefit. If instead we devote time on sites that educate us on various facets of life as spelt out in Qur'an and Hadiths/Sunnah, imagine the benefit we gain both by enhancing our knowledge base of Islam but also equipping us with knowledge to educate others. 

Why not share this post to groups you have joined on social media so that others are educated not to waste time and spend time usefully which is beneficial not for us but others as well.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our page "Traits of beleivers who attain success" to access all eight attributes of such believers as mentioned in Surah 23. Al-Muminun (The Believers).

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References:  | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Allah provides sustenance from whence one never even imagined

In our series of posts on Selected Verses from Qur'an, today we share the third ayat/verse of  Surah 65. At-Talaq (Divorce) which is about provision of sustenance to every man. This verse is also specially for the benefit of woman who have been divorced and shows how Allah commands men to ensure that a divorced woman does not go empty handed out of his house and has something to start her life afresh. This verse thus is an eye opener for all those non Muslims who make lot of hue and cry that Islam suppresses rights of women. This verse was revealed more than 1400 years ago when there was no concept of giving money or sustenance allowance to Muslim women and even in the West the giving of property came sometime  very late in the history, perhaps after 15th century, almost eight centuries later than Islamic laws. In fact this chapter Surah 65. At-Talaq (Divorce) lays down detailed modalities as to how divorce is pronounced and how rights of divorced woman are to be protected.

Talking in general terms, I am witness to Allah's commandment of "Provision of sustenance from whence never ever imagines" and at many critical junctures of my life when I needed support, the Divine help came from sources I had never imagined. So make charities and help others as much as you can for your selfless gestures will aid you at times when you least expected help from any corner.

Now coming over to the 3rd verse of Surah 65. At-Talaq. The following verse should be read in conjunction with the first two verses of the Surah 65. At-Talaq, in which it is emphasized that when one divorces his wife, he must provide here means of sustenance on her departure from his house even if he very poor for he should not worry by  sharing from his paltry resources how he would sustain himself after parting with his small wealth or resources for Allah promises him sustenance whence he never ever imagined.

The third verse reconnects from the last part of the verse 2: "Allah will find a way out for him who fears Allah":

The context itself shows that here “fearing Allah in whatever one does” means to pronounce divorce in accordance with the approved method taught by the Sunnah, to reckon the waiting-period accurately, to avoid turning the wife out of the house, to take the wife back if one decides to keep her at the expiry of the waiting-period with the intention of keeping her equitably and to send her away in a fair manner if one decides to part with her, and to call two just men to witness the divorce, reconciliation or separation, as the case may be. In respect of this, Allah says that whoever acts in fear of Him, He will open for him a way out of the difficulties. This automatically gives the meaning that whoever does not fear Allah in these matters, will create for himself such complications and difficulties from which he will find no way out.

A study of these words clearly shows that the view of those who hold that the irregular (bidi) form of divorce does not take place at all and of those who regard a triple divorce pronounced at once or during the same period of purity as a single divorce, is not correct. For if an irregular form of divorce does not take place at all, it does not create any complication from which one may have to find a way out; and if only a single divorce takes place when one has pronounced three divorces at once, then also there arises no need for a person to seek a way out of a difficulty or complication.

Now from here we commence with explanation of the third verse:

وَّيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ​ ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهٗ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بَالِغُ اَمۡرِهٖ​ ؕ قَدۡ جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدۡرًا‏ 

(65:3) and will provide him sustenance from whence he never even imagined. Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely Allah brings about what He decrees; Allah has set a measure for everything.

" and will provide him sustenance from whence he never even imagined " It means: "Keeping the divorced wife in the house during the waiting period, to maintain her and to pay her the dower, or something in addition, at departure certainly burdens a man financially. To spend on a woman whom one has already decided to send away because of strained relations will surely be irksome, and if the man is also poor, this expenditure will further pinch him. But a man who fears Allah, should endure all this gracefully. Allah is not niggardly as the people are. If a person spends his wealth in accordance with His law, He will provide for him in a manner beyond all expectations." 

" Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely Allah brings about what He decrees " That is, there is no power that can prevent Allah's decree from enforcement.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Last part of verse 2: (وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجاً And whosoever has Taqwa of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out.)'' `Ikrimah also commented on the Ayah, "Whoever divorces as Allah commanded him, then Allah will make a way out for him.'' Similar was reported from Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak.`Abdullah bin Mas`ud and Masruq commented on the Ayah, "It pertains to when one knows that if Allah wills He gives, and if He wills He deprives, (from where he never could imagine.) from resources he did not anticipate''

Verse 3: (وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لاَ يَحْتَسِبُ And He will provide him from where he never could imagine) from where he never thought of or anticipated.'' 

Allah said, ( وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ (And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him.) 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that he rode the Prophet's camel while sitting behind the Prophet , and the Messenger of Allah said to him:

(O boy! I will teach you words ﴿so learn them﴾. Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you, be mindful of Allah and He will be on your side. If you ask, ask Allah, and if you seek help, seek it from Allah. Know that if the Ummah gather their strength to bring you benefit, they will never bring you benefit, except that which Allah has decreed for you. Know that if they gather their strength to harm you, they will never harm you, except with that which Allah has decreed against you. The pens have been raised and the pages are dry.) At-Tirmidhi collected this Hadith and said: "Hasan Sahih.'' Allah's statement,

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَـلِغُ أَمْرِهِ Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose.) meaning, Allah will execute His decisions and judgement that He made for him, in whatever way He wills and chooses,

( قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْراً Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.) This is like His saying: ( وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِندَهُ بِمِقْدَارٍ (Everything with Him is in (due) proportion.) (13:8) 

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

Lit., "whence he does not expect". It is to be noted that the relative pronoun man ("whoever" or "everyone who") - although grammatically requiring the use of the masculine gender in the verbs or pronouns to which it relates - applies to persons of either sex, as is evidenced by innumerable passages in the Qur'an: hence, the present passage, too, including the sentence that follows, must be understood as relating to the women as well as to the men in question.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This is said because a person after divorcing his wife should not turn her out thinking that he will now merely provide for her for free.  Thus the time of God’s help is fixed. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

… If there is a delay in it, then this is only because He wants to try people whether they show patience or not. A person should rest assured that God will fulfil all His promises. If there is delay in this, then it is only as much as is necessary to try his patience, and this trial is for a person’s own well-being. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 8, 440)

Qur'an Wiki:

Again, wicked scheming has wide scope and can take different routes in this relationship. Indeed, trying to avoid wicked scheming by one party may make the other resort to wicked scheming of their own. This statement impresses on people that they should not attempt anything of the sort. Rather, they should place their trust in God; this is sufficient for anyone. God always accomplishes what He wants. Whatever He has willed has already taken place. Therefore, to rely on Him is to rely on the One who is able, powerful and always brings about the results He seeks. It should be noted that this statement is general and aims to instil into people the right concept with regard to God's will and power. Including it here with the rulings on divorce suggests that it has important significance and effect in this very crucial social matter.

Everything is given its due measure, accomplished at the place, time and with the circumstances set for it. Hence, it is the result of its particular causes and produces its own results. Nothing is the result of blind coincidence, either within man and his life or in the universe at large. This is an important aspect of the Islamic concept.' Yet mentioning it here relates it to the rulings God has given concerning divorce, its timing, waiting period and witnesses.

All these rulings are thus given an extra aspect of being part of God's overall law and give us the feeling that the serious view Islam takes of divorce is part of the seriousness of the system God has established for the universe.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Is there any creator, apart from Allah, who provides you your sustenance?

Tawhid is the fundamental belief of all Muslims which is hinged on concept of the Oneness of God and that there is only one God. Mankind has been reminded time and again in the Qur'an to submit to One True God and that no one should equate anyone with His unchallenged status of being the sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. In fact Allah will never forgive anyone who associates anyone with Him or at par with Him. The concept of Tawhid unequivocally holds that God is One (Al-ʾAḥad) and The Manifestation of Unity (Al-Wāḥid).

We have already presented a number of verses centered on the idea of Tawhid and the 3rd verse of Surah 35. Fatir also points towards Oneness of God as Evidence of Tawhid:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتَ اللّٰهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡؕ هَلۡ مِنۡ خَالِـقٍ غَيۡرُ اللّٰهِ يَرۡزُقُكُمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَۖ فَاَنّٰى تُؤۡفَكُوۡنَ‏ 

(35:3) O people, remember Allah's favour upon you. Is there any creator, apart from Allah, who provides you your sustenance out of the heavens and earth? There is no god but He. Whither are you, then, being misdirected?7

“Remember Allah’s favor upon you”: Do not be ungrateful: do not forget that whatever you have, has been given by Allah. In other words, this sentence is meant to warn that whoever worships other than Allah, or regards a blessing as a favor done by other than Allah, or thanks other than Allah for a favor received, or prays to other than Allah for the grant of a blessing, is ungrateful.

This is same as verse  31 of Surah 10. Yunus:  Ask them: 'Who provides you with sustenance out of the heavens and the earth? Who holds mastery over your hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who governs all affairs of the universe?' They will surely say: 'Allah.' Tell them: 'Will you, then, not shun (going against reality)?"

There is a subtle gap between the first and the second sentence, which is being filled by the context itself. To understand this, one may visualize the scene like this: The polytheists are being addressed. The speaker asks the audience: “Is there another creator beside Allah, who might have created you, and might be arranging provisions for you from the earth and heavens?” After this question the speaker waits for the answer. But there is no reply from anywhere. No one replies that there is another one beside Allah, who is their creator and sustainer. This by itself shows that the audience also believe that there is none beside Allah, who could be their creator and sustainer. Then the speaker says: “If so, then He alone can also be the Deity and no one else. How have you been so deceived? Why have you taken these others as your deities, when Allah alone is your Creator and Sustainer?”

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: The Evidence of Tawhid

Allah shows His servants that they should worship Him Alone, for just as He is Independent in His power of creation and provision, so He should be worshipped Alone with no partners or associates such as idols and false gods. 

So Allah says: (La ilaha illa Huwa. How then are you turning away (from Him)) meaning, `how can you turn away from Him after this has been made clear and this proof has been made obvious, but you still worship idols and false gods' And Allah knows best.

Yusuf Ali explanation: As the primal Cause of all things is Allah, an appeal is made to man to turn to Allah instead of running after false fancies. Allah is not only the source, but the centre of all life and activity, and all affairs return to Him. The world is sustained, and human life is sustained, by Allah's grace and providence. "Sustenance" is to be taken, in Quranic language, for all that helps to maintain and develop every aspect of life, physical and spiritual. It would be the height of folly, then, for man to ignore Allah's gracious Message, as explained in His Revelation.

Tafsir Jalalayn: O people, that is, the people of Mecca, remember God's grace to you, in His making you dwell within the [Meccan] Sanctuary and preventing raids against you. Is there any creator (min khliqin; min is extra; khliq is the subject) other than God (read ghayru'Llhi or gharyri'Llhi, as an adjectival qualification of khliq, `creator', either concording with the [oblique] form [of min khliqin] or concording with the syntactical status [thereof]; the predicate of the subject [is the following]) who provides for you from the heaven, rain, and, from the, earth?, vegetation (the interrogative is [actually] an affirmative, that is to say, `there is no creator or provider other than Him). There is no god except Him. So how then do you deviate?, how are you turned away from affirming His Oneness when you already affirm that He is the Creator and the Provider?

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Qur'ān officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More